Can closing machine



M. J. McLAUGHLlN CAN CLOS ING MACHINE Filed March 21, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l 29 r7 I {4 if )7 42 5 5 2a .40 4 j;

INV TOR. waw w A TTOEN EYS Patented June 22, 1943 CAN CLOSING MACHINE Michael J. McLaughlin, Ogden, Utah, assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 21, 1941, Serial No. 384,561

' 4 Claims. (Cl. 22671) The present invention relates to can closing machines and the like and has particular reference to an improved topping mechanism for.

stringy products.

In the packaging of stringy products such as sauerkraut, string beans and the like, insheet metal cans in which the cover is seamed in place by an interfolding of flange, parts on the can and on the cover, considerable difficulty has been experienced with strings of the product extending over the flange of the can during the filling operation. These strings if not removed get caught factory. However, it has been found further that with a simple alteration or modification in the design of the usual topper an improvement of major commercial importance has been brought about which has resulted in the successful elimination of this dilficulty.

The instant invention contemplates overcoming this difliculty by providing a topper having an elongated topping skirt formed so that it will draw the overhanging strings of the product down into thecan interior as the topper enters the can where they are entirely free, of the can flange and the cover which is subsequently applied to the can. v

Anobject therefore of the invention is the provision of an improved topping mechanism for a can closing machine wherein the topper is formed with an elongated skirt which loosely fits within the filled can, that is in spaced relation to its inside body wall as the topper enters so that any strings of the product overhanging the top flange will be drawn down into the can interior with the topper and out of the way so that they will not be embodied in the end seam of the can when the cover is subsequently secured thereto.

Another object is the provision of such an improved topping mechanism wherein any liquid contents of the can while being topped is prevented from being splashed out and lost.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a topping mechanism embodying the instant invention, with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal view taken substantially along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged vertical sections of one of the topper heads in the operation of topping a filled can, the view showing the head in different positions and further illustrating the upper end of the canbroken back and shown in section;

As a preferred embodiment of the instant invention the drawings illustrate principal parts of a can topping mechanism of the character disclosed in United States Patent 1,673,236, issued June 12, 19218, to P. W. Fleischer. The topping mechanism is preferably a part of a canclosing machine for seaming covers to the filled cans.

in such a topping mechanism filled sheet metal .cans A are received on a stationary table I I (Fig.

1) which may be a part of the main frame of the closing machine. The received cans are picked up by a rotating star wheel or turret I2 having spaced pockets in which the cans fit. This turret propels the cans'across the table in a curved path of travel before further advancing them into the closing machine proper. Curved guide rails l3 secured to the table guide the cans during their travel.

The turret I2 is preferably mounted on a vertical rotatable shaft l5 which is journaled at its lower end in a bearing it formed in the main frame of the machine. A gear I! secured to the shaft adjacent the bearing l6 is'provided for rotating the shaft. The upper end of the, shaft carries a spider 2| having a long hub 22 which is journaled in a bearing 23 bolted to a web section 24 which may be a part of the machine main frame.

The spider'2l rotates with the shaft l5 and carries a plurality. of vertically disposed plungers 26 which slide in bearings 21 formed on the outer periphery of the spider. There is one of these plungers for each pocket of the turret l2 and they are located concentric with and above the cans in the turret pockets. At its lower end each plunger carries a topping head 28 and on its upper end a cam roller 29. The cam roller operates on a cam track 3| of a stationary barrel cam 32 formed as a part of the bearing 23.

Hence as the shaft I5 revolves in its bearings i6, 23 it rotates the turret I2 and the spider 2i in unison and thus the cans are propelledacross the table II while being maintainedin'vertical alignment with the topping heads 28. While the cans are being so propelled the plunger cam r011- ers 23 traverse the cam track 3|. This track is shaped to lower the topping heads into the open top ends of the cans to press their contents down below the flange or brim and then to lift the topping heads free of the cans. Following this the cans may be further advanced for the reception of a cover and the can may be closed ;by

seaming the cover in place. This lowering and raising of the topping heads is a usual can topping operation.

- The topping heads 28 in the instant topping mechanism are especially designed "for stringy Below the web section 31 the skirt 38 sets off a chamber 4| having an open bottom end. Above the web section the skirt sets offa channel. 42 which surrounds the head body. 'Spacedholes 44 (see also Fig. 2)v in the web section provide communication betweenthe chamber and the channel.

Hence when a topping head 28 moves down into a can A, the skirt 38 of the head body first engages the solid portion of the contents of the can, adjacent the inside surface of the can but in spaced relation thereto as best shown in Fig. 3. As the head continues to descend, it forces the stringy productadjacent the edge of the can down into its interior while allowing sufficient space between the outside of the skirt and the inside of the can to prevent crowding of the product againstthe inside surfaceof the can. It is this action that draws down into the can any strings that may overhang the can flange, the stroke of the plunger being'such as This confined mass of the contents is engaged 1 by the bottom web section 31 and is pushed down below the top edge of the can hear the end of the descending stroke ofthe head. Fig. 4 illustrates the lowermost or bottom position of the head. Any liquid in the can along with the solid matter is-partially displaced by the descending head and this liquid rises into the channel 42 r 44. Hence no liquid is lost during the topping operation,

Provision is made for holding the can down onto the table I I when a topping head 28 is withdrawn from a can. For this purpose the skirt 38 adjacent its upper edge is formed with a horizontal flange 48 which extends out over the top flange of the can and {which carries spring controlled ejecting pins'49. The drawings show three of these pins 48 loosely located in vertical bores 5| formed in the flange at spaced intervals therearound. The pins are in vertical alignment with the fiangeofa can A disposed under the top in head.

Each ejecting pin 49 is formed with a head 53 which is backed up by a compression spring 54 which is interposed between the pin head and a horizontal plate 55. The plate surrounds the head body 35, fitting into a stepped seat 56 formed in the top of the head body. Each spring 54 is surrounded'by a=conflning guide sleeve '58 which is interposed between the skirt flange 48 and the plate 55 and serves as a spacer block. Long screws 59 (see also Fig. 2) hold the plate in place. These screws 59 extend through the plate and project'down into the skirt flange in which the lower end of the screws are threaded.

The plate 55- serves as a splash guard to preventany liquid which may inadvertently squirt up through the holes from splashing on the machine-parts while the spacer sleeves 58 protect the springs 54. After the topping operation and when the head begins to move up out ofthe can the springs 54 hold the ejecting pins against the can and thus prevent the can from rising with the topping head.

It is thought'that the invention and many of its attendant-advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form,construction and arrangement of the parts withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described bein merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim: y

1. A topping mechanism for stringy products packed in cans, comprising incombination, a

plunger reciprocable toward and away from the mouth of afilled container, a head body on said plunger. which is insertable into the mouth of the can for pushing the solid portions of the contents down below the top edge, said head body having an elongated skirt of lesser diameter than the can and having a perforated bottom wall section which sets off an upper channel and a lower chamber, said head body beinginsertabie into the can at which time the solid part of the product is depressed and a part is confined in said chamber, the liquid passing through said perforated wall in said channel. any strings of the.

product which may overhang the top edge of the can being pulled down and away from the can mouth, a plurality of ejecting pins carried by said head body and located adjacent said skirt for engagement with the top edge of the can for stripping it from the head body when the latter-is withdrawn after a topping operation, a compressionspring for backing up each of said ejecting pins, 9. protecting sleeve guard surrounding each of said springs, and a splash plate surrounding said body and spaced above said skirt section, said splash plate and said sleeve guards protecting the mechanism from splashing of the displaced liquid contents durin the topping operation.

2. A topping mechanism for stringy products packed with liquid in cans, comprising in combination, a plunger head having a recess in the top thereof set oil? by a lateral imperforate wall and a bottom perforate well, said head being adapted to enter the mouth of a can so as to leave a predetermined space between said imperforate wall and the can and to lower said perforate wall below the top of the can, yieldable pressure-applying means for forcing said head into said can to draw down into the can any strings of the productwhich may overhang the can edge, plunger retarding means operable in opposition to said pressure applying means as said plunger enters a can, and means for withdrawing the head and holding it above the can for a time sutficient to permit the liquid to drain from said head recess back to the product within the can, whereby the topping operation is effected with substantially no loss of fluid.

3. A topping mechanism for stringy products packed with liquid in cans, comprising in combination, a plunger head having a recess in the top thereof set off by a lateral imperforate'wall and a bottom perforate wall, said head being adapted to enter the mouth of a can so as to leave a predetermined space betweemsaid imperforate wall and the can and to lower said perforate wall below the top of the can, yieldable pressure-applying means for forcing said head into said-can to draw down into the can any strings of the product which may overhan the can edge, plunger retarding means operable against the can and in opposition to said pressure-applying means for slowing down the movement of said plunger head into the can and also serving to strip the can from the-plunger head when the latter is withdrawn, and means for withdrawing the head and holding it above the can for a time sufllcient to permit the liquid to drain from said head recess' back to the product within the can, whereby the topping operation -is eflected with substantially no loss of liquid.

4. A topping mechanism for stringy products packed with liquid in cans, comprising in combination, a plunger head having recessed -end portions separated by a perforate wall, said head being smaller than a can to be topped and adapted to enter the mouth of the can so as to leave a predetermined space between said wall and the can, yieldable pressure-applying means for forcing the lower of said recessed ends and said perl'orate wall into the can and against said prodact to draw down into the can any strings of the product which may overhang the can edge while simultaneously withdrawing a portion of said product from contact with the can and into the lower recess, and displacing some of the liquid in said product upwardly through the perforate wall to the upper of said recesses, yieldable plunger head retarding means operable in opposition to said pressure-applying means after the plunger has entered the can for reducing excessive strains due to impact and to prevent undue crushing of the product, and means for withdrawing said head and holding it above the can for a time sufllcient to permit the liquid to drain back from the upper recess to the product within the can.

MICHAEL J. MCLAUGHLIN. 

